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Cantor's last floor speech

Separate House and Senate bills meant to tackle an influx of migrants at the border went down in flames, denying President Barack Obama the funds he requested to deal with undocumented migrants arriving from Central America. Senate Republicans easily defeated Democrats’ $2.7 billion aid package while House Republicans pulled their slimmed down legislation from the floor, lacking the votes to pass anything.

Congress made minimal progress on other fronts. Lawmakers agreed to do the bare minimum on transportation, using a controversial mix of flimsy funding methods to avert Friday’s looming federal transportation shutdown until next May. And with the difficult deal-making done on reforming the ailing Veterans Affairs’ health-care system, the Senate sent the House-approved bill to the Obama for his signature.

“It’s an absolute disgrace that the House couldn’t even muster a vote. At least we’re having a vote, but it’s only slightly better to have Senate Republicans voting against the funding than it is for House Republicans to avoid a vote entirely,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

“Can we do anything anymore? Can we muster the ability to do the most basic? On the VA bill we came through, on the highway bill it looks like we’re going to get there. The answer is: ‘Yes we can do things.’ The things that we choose not to do still baffle me,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

Some lawmakers hoped that Obama’s administration would find a way to juggle its spending priorities to allow the Department of Homeland Security to buy some time until September, when Congress returns from its recess.

“I did get the sense today there’s a way for the administration to move some dollars around within DHS. I obviously would prefer, would way prefer on every issue, that we resolve it and solve it. But that’s not going to happen,” said Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), who met with President Obama with other congressional leaders on Thursday morning.

The Senate was also unable to come to an agreement on aiding Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system and fighting wildfires in the West; Republicans blocked the measure over concerns that it would add to the deficit.

“Our number one ally — at least in my mind — is under attack. If this isn’t an emergency I don’t know anything that is,” lamented Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

Attempts to increase U.S. influence in global hotspots failed as well. Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) tried to swiftly confirm more than a dozen new ambassadors to countries like Russia and Guatemala, which is sending thousands of immigrants to the U.S. border. But bitterness from Senate Democrats’ unilateral rules change to eliminate filibusters on most nominees has not abated, and Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) objected to approval of ambassadors, citing Democrats’ use of the “nuclear option.”

A few minutes later, Republicans relented and John Tefft was confirmed as ambassador to Russia. The chamber recessed shortly thereafter, after 11 p.m.

The atmosphere ahead of the five-week congressional recess scheduled to begin Friday was akin to the last day of school with lawmakers and staffers eager to take a break and escape the Washington grind. And though the Senate won’t vote until September, the House is being called back to class and will be in session on Friday to figure out a way forward on the border crisis.

When House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy — slated to become majority leader later in the day — announced there could be more votes, members booed on the House floor.